With very few Arizona club programs performing at a high level during the final evaluation period of July, there were however a few teams that made Arizona very proud with their performances in a colossal Vegas event. The Arizona Magic 16U – Passion coached by Arizona Magic Director of Operations Justin Allen would finish as runner-up champions of the Las Vegas Fab 48 16U Diamond Division – the bracket just under the invite-only division. The Arizona Magic 16U – Passion has had a strong past two weeks of July. The team would win the 16U tournament championship last week in…
Author: Anthony Ray
While many of Arizona’s club programs did not fair too well during the final evaluation period of the summer, Arizona’s top 17U club team of the summer was definitely the Arizona Magic Elite 17U team – led by the superb play of their backcourt, 6-foot-3 rising senior guard Sammy Barnes-Thompkins and 6-foot-3 prep guard Lyrik Shreiner. After posting a strong performance in the Pangos Sweet 16 and a final-four finish in the Great American Shootout (GASO) in Dallas, Texas, this group would cap off an Elite 8 finish in this year’s Invite-Only Division of the Las Vegas Fab 48 this…
One of the elite prospects in the state of Arizona, regardless of class, did not begin that way. Entering the 2014 club season, Willow Canyon High School’s 6-foot-7 rising senior forward Nick Allen was an unknown prospect by even basketball enthusiasts in the state. But after a spring and summer that have been filled with numerous dominant performances, this young man has began to pick up recruiting steam. Allen has played big all spring and summer after a junior season where he averaged a subpar 15 points and 4.3 rebounds – modest numbers for a prospect that has emerged as…
Another top prospect in Arizona’s 2016 class has developed this club season and will now be consiered among the better prospects in Arizona’s 2016 class. Basha High School’s 6-foot-9 rising junior post Klay Stall has utilized the club season in the correct manner – developing as a player and gaining good playing time throughout the sumnmer. In the spring, Stall played for the Arizona Power program, but decided to make a change for the summer – competing for the Compton Magic – Team Bayless. While playing for the lesser of the two teams for the program, Stall has gained a…
The Desert Vista High School basketball program is one of the most talented teams in the state – one team filled with several division-I prospects. While two other prospects on the team have the spotlight, Brandon Clarke and Quincy Taylor, 6-foot-3, 210-pound rising junior guard DJ Hamilton has emerged this spring and summer as another member of the team that will soon begin to receivesome college exposure as well. Hamilton was an unknown prospect before the club season, after a subpar sophomore season on a very talented team. Hamilton averaged modest numbers on the season but developed as a player…
With many of Arizona’s top-rated prospects now off the table after committing to college programs, one of the elite prospects in the class is Westview High School’s talented and physically gifted 5-foot-10, 160-pound rising senior guard/forward Saylair Grandon. Grandon is coming off another terrific high school season – leading her team to a 26-7 overall record on the season. This skilled prospect is now tearing it up on the summer club circuit and has become one of the toughest girl prospects to defend. Grandon averaged 11.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 3.9 steals per/game this high school season and…
One of the elite-level prospects in the state of Arizona, regardless of class, is Valley Vista High School’s phenom 6-foot-2 rising sophomore post Kiara Edwards. Because Edwards is such a strong prospect for the future for elite high-major division-I college programs to recruit, she has taken her game this club season to California to play for one of the nation’s hottest club programs. Since to the end of the season, and after beginning the club season with her initial girls club program, the Arizona Magic Elite, Edwards then decided to play the remainder of the club season with the nationally…
A large number of top-rated Arizona prospects from the 2014, 2015 and 2017 classes left the state of Arizona on Wednesday morning to travel to Dallas, Texas to take part in the Great American Shootout (GASO). With close to 30 prospects making the trip for (3) different teams from the Arizona Magic club program, there were many top rated performances from thsi year’s group. The Arizona Magic 16U-Passion team would win the Division Championship for their respective bracket in this year’s tournament. The team would start off with with a loss in the event and then win 5 games in…
Arizona’s 2016 class of prospects is loaded with talented performers that are making a name for themselves during this July evaluation period. The class looks to be comparable to the previous superb 2014 class. While this class is not quite as loaded, it will be very close, as many of the prospects are gaining attention from college coaches a year early. One prospect that has emerged this summer is Pinnacle High School’s 6-foot-8 rising junior combo-forward Nick Mains. While Mains was not a heralded prospect this past season for the Pinnacle HS varsity team, next season will be much different…
Mesa Junior College men’s basketball team is coming off a strong 2013-2014 junior college basketball season – winning this year’s ACCAC Conference Title. While the Thunderbirds were dominant at times during last season, they will lose a lot to graduation next season. As a result, Mesa JC has been in the recruiting mode for some time – looking to land some very good prospects to fill the void. Recently, the Thunderbirds signed two top-rated prospects that were junior college transfers. Both prospects will look to play significant roles next season for head coach Sam Ballard and his hard-working staff. Mesa…